Lamp fixture



Jan. 20, 1948.

G. B. KURTZON LAMP FIXTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR G50/26E /CuerZo/V Filed March 15, 1946 lrlllll.

lJan. 20, 1948. G. B. KuRTzQN LAMP FIXTURE Filed Marh 15, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. GEO/PGE 5. /CUE T20/v BY QQ/M2M HTH/,52

Patented Jan. 20, 1948 LAMP FIXTURE George B. Kurtzon, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Garden City Plating & Manufacturing Co., Inc., a corporation of Illinois Application March 15, 1946, Serial No. 654,579

Claims.

This invention relates to a lamp fixture and particularly to means for facilitating the installation of a continuous line of elongated lamps such as fluorescent lamps or tubes.

In the installation of a continuous line of elongated lamps, the ultimate aim of the designer is to provide a continuous line of light. This is not possible, however, with the present lamps for each of them requires space at each end for connections, and the resulting gaps between adjacent tubes in such installations cause dark spots which spoil the beauty and impair the efficiency of the lighting installation.

The fixture constituting the present invention permits adjacent tubes to be joined in a continuous line with a minimum of space required between tubes so that the installation may be of any desired length and the gaps between adjacent tubes will be practically negligible. The lixture also includes simple and efficient means whereby it may be joined in accurate alignment with a coupling or with an end member to provide a harmonious balanced appearance at each end'of the installation. Means are also provided on the fixture to facilitate the attachment of a reflector of suitable length to the fixture.

The present invention has many other advantages which will be made apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which constitute a part of the specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an installation of fluorescent tubes in a fixture embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom elevation of the installation shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the splice box cover;

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the splice box;

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the coupling member;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along the line VI-VI of Fig. 2 showing the tube and its sockets in elevation;

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional View taken along the line VII-VII of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective View of the channel and cover in disassembled relationship.

In the drawings, the reference numeral I indicates a supporting surface such as a ceiling or wall` on which the Vlamp fixtures of the present invention are mounted. Each fixture includes a channel member 2, comprising a base section 3 (Cl. 24o-51.11)

and a pair of side walls 4. Each side wall has a longitudinally extending bead 5 adjacent its outer end. The base section 3 is provided with a boss 6 adjacent each end. Each boss is provided with an aperture 'I which, preferably, is threaded. The base section 3 is also provided with a plurality of apertures 8 through which screws or bolts 9 may be passed to secure the channel member to the supporting surface I. A plurality of heavily scored knock-out panels I0 are formed in the base section to provide an aperture for the wires if the design of the installation requires that the wires pass through the base section of any channel member.

A cover member Il, of the same length as the channel member, is provided for each channel member. The cover member comprises a bottom wall I2 and a pair of lateral, longitudinal flanges I3. Each flange is provided with an internally beaded edge I4 adapted to be snapped over the bead 5 to secure the cover II resiliently to the channel 2. This resilient attachment of the cover to the channel affords a substantial saving of time and labor in the original installation and in any subsequent repair work because operative parts of the xture, including the sockets, are mounted on the cover member and it is not necessary to remove the entire installation to make repairs.

The cover member Il is provided at each end With a rectangular recess I5 adapted to fit the cross section of a socket I6 which carries the conventional electrical contacts (not shown). The sockets may be made of any suitable material, preferably of plastic. The sockets of a single fixture or the outermost sockets in a line of iix tures in accordance with the present invention are protected by suitable armor in a manner hereinafter described. Each end of a uorescent tube I'I or similar elongated lamp lits into a socket, as is well understood.

Each socket has a base portion I8 iitting under the cover adjacent the rectangular recess I5 and is secured to the cover by a bolt I9 which passes through the base portion and an aperture 20 in the cover member. A nut 2l is secured on. the inner end of the bolt I9. A starter base 22 is secured to the socket I5 at one end of the cover member. At this end of the cover the bolt I9 is longer than the bolt I9 so that it can project through the starter base as well as the base portion I8 of the socket. A starter 23 is inserted into the starter base by passing it through an aperture 24 provided in the cover II for that purpose. A transformer or ballast (not shown) may also be secured to and inside the cover member. A pair of semi-circular recesses 25 is provided in each end of the cover member on opposite sides of the recess I for a purpose to be described.

In order to build the installation of lamp fixtures up to any desired length, coupling members 26 are providedto Yfacilitatelongitudinal alignment of a pair of channel members 2 and to join them in end to end relationship so that adjacent sockets on aligned cover members are back to back. Each coupling member has a cross sectional conguration similar to the cross sectional configuration of the channel members except that its side walls 2 are provided attheirouter edges with inturned ilanges 28. The coupling member is slightly smaller than the channel members so that it ts snugly inside the-channel.

The base section 29 of the coupling has aan apertured boss 39 adjacent each end adapted to t over a boss 6 in a channel member to insure proper alignment 'and positioning of the `Vcoupling member reative 'to the channelmembers `which it'joins together. When two channel 'members 'are positioned 'in AAend lto endrelations'hipand a coupling member has its bosses'positionedover thefadjacent bosses of abutting channel members, :a screw 3l is threaded through the yapertured,lmated :bosses to hold the channel Amembers and 'coupling member rigidly'in'p'osition. y-It is obvious that any number of channels and couplings `may be used to build the composite 'xture' to' the desired length.

'The 'anges "8 are each provided with a -mediallyV positioned aperture 32, threaded'to receive screws'33. 'The semi-circular apertures'25on ad- 'jacentcovermembers register with the apertures -32 sothat when the screws 33 are screwedinto 'the apertures 32 the coversareheld against the channel members by the screws as well aslby the resilient engagement ofthe beaded edges i@ and `5. The screws'33 have another function incon- .nection with the reflector which will be hereinafter described.

.A splice'box 34 is'secured to the outerendof each ofthe two outermost channel'members -of the series of aligned 'xtures The splice box comprises abase section "35, sidewalls 38 having longitudinally extending 'inturned ilanges 31 -on their-outer edges, and an end wall 38 having'laterallylproje'cting walls`39welded'to the sidewalls '36. y'The end wall 39 has a scored knock out panel Mlsimilar tothe panels I so that the wires for the fixture may pass through either end orthe base section of the aligned xtures. Each splice box4 is provided on its base'section with an'apertured'boss 4I,'similar tobosses '30, to iit over'the outerfbo'sses r6 in the channels at each end of'the ali'gned'fixtures.

lThe anges'S'I'ar'e each provided with av threadedaperture k[i2 into which screwsiS are'threaded. An end cover All has a bottom wall 45 and a'pair offlongitudinal flanges '46 adapted to t snugly over the sidewalls'39 of the splice box. The bottom 'wall isprovided with a pair of keyholeshaped 'apertures LI'I adapted to have lthe large portion positioned'over the screws 43 Vand :then moved laterallyto havethe narrow portion fengage' the'shanks of the screws 3 to hold the/end cover on the splicebox. Each of the end'covers has aprojectingportion '158 which is Anormal to wall :45. Projecting portion 48 is provided with peripheral flanges 29 and is adapted-to'bepositioned adjacent the end sockets I6 toencompass the #same thereby armoring them andlprotecting them against bending or breaking. The end-covthe aligned Xtul'eS.

.place thereby. yThe reflector is one continuous :member substantially equaliinlength to the total overall length of all the channel members in It is provided with cut outs (not shown) to fit around the sockets I6 and the bolts "I9, I9. The reflector is also provided with a plurality of apertures (not shown) in registration .with the semi-circular recesses so that `the .screws 33 .may ypass therethrough to hold the reector against sagging in its mid-section. If a reector is not 'required the xture may be used without one.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have devised simple, easily assembled lamp xtures that permit installation of any desired number of elongated lamps such as fluorescent tu-bes in longitudinal aignm'entwith the-gaps between A'adjacent lamps equal in length to the thickness of the two sockets at the 'ends of vadjacent cover members.

Although I have described a preferred embodimentof my invention in considerable detail, it will be understood that the-description 4thereof is illustrative, rather'thanrestrictive, as many'details-may be modied or changed without departing from-the spirit or scope of my invention. AAccordingly, I do not desire to be restricted '.to vthe exact structure described, except as vlimited )by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A lamp xture comprising-a channel member, -`a cover member, cooperating flanges on said channel and cover engageable to'secure-said members together, a socket secured toeach end of said cover member, a pair-of splice boxes adapted to be secured to opposite ends of said-channeLand a cover for each of said spliceboxes, said splice box covers each having a projectingportion positioned adjacent one of said sockets to protect said sockets against-ibendingor breaking.

2. AA lamp xturecomprising a channel member, a cover member resiliently secured to said channel member, a pair of splice'boxes secured at'opposite ends of -said channel member, a cover for each of said splice boxes and means on said splice box covers for securinga-reector to said fixture.

3. Acompositexture for mounting'a series-of elongated lamps in longitudinal alignment comprising a series -of individual channel members, each of approximately the same length as one-'of the lamps, an apertured boss'adjacenteach end of each channel member, a coupling Ymem-ber adapted to join two adjacent-channel members, said coupling member having two apertured bosses to'cooperate with the-bosses on adjacent channel members to facilitate alignment, two spliceboxes,eachhaving an apertured boss to-facilitate alignment with and attachment to the outer ends of -the 'channelfmembers a cover'on 'each of said splice boxes, a refiector substantially equal in length to vthetotal overall length Yof thelongitudinally aigned channel members, andmeanson said splicebox covers for securing said reflectorto said composite fixture.

Y4. A composite `fixture for mounting a series of fluorescent tubes in 'closely spaced longitudinal alignmen'tcomprising a series of individual channel members arran'ged end nto..end iin substantially abutting relationship, a series of coupling members joining adjacent channel members and facilitating alignment thereof, an individual cover resilienty secured to each of said channel members, a pair of electrical sockets carried by each of said cover members, a reflector positioned adjacent said cover members, said reflector being substantially equal in length to the total overall length of said fixture, and a splice box secured to each of the outer ends of the outermost channel members, a cover for each of said splice boxes, each of said splice box covers having a portion projecting over one end of said reector to secure said reector against said first mentioned cover members.

5. A composite xture for mounting a series of elongated lamps in longitudinal alignment cornprising a series of individual channel members, each of approximately the same length as one of the lamps, an apertured boss adjacent each end 0f each channel member, a coupling member adapted to join two adjacent channel members, Said coupling member having two apertured REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,099,020 LaDucer Nov. 16, 1937 2,250,276 Rutherford et al July 22, 1941 2,295,788 Hoeveler Sept. 15, 1942 2,309,182 Giles Jan, 26, 1943 2,345,234 Carter Mar. 28, 1944 2,408,783 Kloner Oct. 8, 1946 

